What Exactly Is the Difference Between Marketing and Advertising?

Growing competition in this world makes strategic marketing more important now than ever before. According to a 2019 Harvard Business Review article, innovation is everything and it needs to be a top priority.

Marketing and advertising are both important for business success but many people don't know the difference between marketing and advertising. Here is our guide to understanding the difference between the two and why they matter.

The Difference Between Marketing and Advertising

People use these two words interchangeably but marketing and advertising are two different things that both fall under the promotion of a business.

Is digital or traditional marketing better for business growth? You need to know the difference between the two to implement the right strategy.

What is Marketing?

Marketing includes the activities involved in making people aware of the products or services of a business. Here are some types of marketing:

• Content: This approach focuses on creating, publishing, and distributing relevant content to a targeted audience in the form of blog posts, videos, podcasts, infographics, and more. It's time-consuming and needs to be consistent to produce results.
• Social Media: Social media marketing boosts brand awareness through social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Social media allows businesses to directly interact with their audience.
• Email: Email marketing is sending a commercial message to potential or current customers through email. It works if you're consistent it builds trust with customers over time.
• Search Engine Optimization: SEO is the process of organically growing the quality and quantity of traffic to a website by increasing visibility to users on a search engine.

How Marketing Works

Developing a marketing plan takes time, research, and preparation.

Businesses start with a unique selling proposition or USP with a target audience in mind. The company then seeks to understand their potential customers and what they gain from their product or service.

It takes trial and error. Marketing research provides data surrounding marketing efforts and lets businesses know what's working and what isn't.

What is Advertising?

Advertising is under the umbrella of marketing and it's a tactic that attempts to influence the buying behaviour of customers with a selling message about products or services.

Kantar Media reported in 2018 that the U.S. ad spend reached $151 billion. Why do companies spend so much money on advertisements? The return on investment makes it worth it.

Here are some types of advertising:

• Digital: Digital advertising is essentially paid advertising online. Examples of this include advertising on social media, mobile apps, and other publications.
• Traditional: These are the traditional advertisements you see in print and on the street such as billboards, bus stops, or in the mail.
• Ambient Media: Ambient media is advertising in unusual locations such as on shopping carts or in a public bathroom above a urinal
• Product Placement: Brands pay for their product or logo to be shown or used on television or in films.

What's the Goal of Advertising?

Advertising is about getting your message in front of your target audience. The goal is to spark interest with your ad campaign and attract new customers to your product or service.

Establish your target market and check out your competition before starting your campaign.

Which Should You Use?

Now that you know the difference between marketing and advertising, you know how they're different and why they're both important for business growth and success.

Do you need help marketing your business and increasing brand awareness? Contact Infinite Design House to schedule a time to talk!